Page:CAB Accident Report, Alaska Airlines Flight 779.pdf/1

 File No. 1-0002

CIVIL AERONAUTICS BOARD AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT REPORT

ALASKA AIRLINES, INC., DOUGLAS DC-6A, N 6118C,

SHEMYA, ALASKA. JULY 21, 1961

An Alaska Airlines, Inc., Douglas DC-6A, N 6118C, Flight CKA 779 of July 20, 1961, was a contract cargo flight from Travis Air Force Base, California, to Tachikawa, Japan.

At 0211, Bering Standard Time, on July 21, 1961, during the approach to a landing at Shemya, Alaska, an en route refueling stop, after descending through minimum weather conditions under the guidance of GCA, the aircraft crashed and burned approximately 200 feet short of the runway threshold on a course aligned with the runway. All six persons aboard the aircraft were crew members and all received fatal injuries.

The red runway approach lights, the first four pairs of runway lights, and two of four green threshold lights were inoperative. This lighting deficiency was not observed or reported to this aircraft by those in charge of field lighting or by the GCA controller. The single strobe light, 152 feet short of the threshold, two of the green threshold lights, and the remainder of the runway lights were operating.

The Board determines that the probably cause of this accident was the absence of approach and runway lights, and the failure of the GCA controller to give more positive guidance to the pilot during the last stages of his approach.

The board has recommended to the administrator that he take action to assure that personnel and equipment used in GCA approaches meet pertinent standards for such operations.

At 0211 on July 21, 1961, a Douglas DC-6A, N 6118C, operated by Alaska Airlines, Inc., as Flight CKA 779, crashed and burned while on approach to landing on runway 10 at Shemya Airport, Shemya, Alaska. All six persons aboard the aircraft were crew members and all received fatal injuries.

Flight 779 was being conducted pursuant to a contract between the carrier and the Military Air Transport Service to transport military freight from Travis Air Force Base, California, to Tachikawa, Japan. The flight had originated at Paine Field, Everett, Washington, on July 20, 1961, and proceeded to Travis AFB, California, where it was to load military cargo. At Travis AFB, 25,999 pounds of cargo was loaded by military personnel under the supervision of the Alaska Airlines'